As a volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), I was shocked to learn the New York State Senate, Assembly and Governor Andrew Cuomo catered to Big Tobacco and e-cigarette companies in this year’s budget.

Because of their powerful lobbyists in Albany, the proposal to include e-cigarettes in the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act was removed at the last minute from the budget.

The state’s Clean Indoor Air Act protects all of us from secondhand smoke, but e-cigarettes are not included because they didn’t exist when the law was passed. This change is long overdue.

According to the Surgeon General, e-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among children. In fact, in New York State e-cigarette use among youth doubled in two years to over 20 percent!

This is startling and we can’t afford to have lawmakers look the other way. Since the adoption of the Clean Indoor Air Act in New York youth smoking rates have dramatically decreased, but all this progress could be jeopardized with the surge in e-cigarette use by kids

New York City lawmakers had the common sense to ensure clean indoor air protections are extended to e-cigarettes. All New Yorkers across the state deserve this same protection

I have a question for my state lawmaker, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi: the facts are clear, whose side are you on, Big Tobacco or our children?

I urge everyone to ask their lawmakers the same question and demand they make this change when they return to work in Albany.